


I Would

by jongleur



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: AU, Fluff, High School AU, M/M, im on a roll, why am I doing this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-07
Updated: 2013-05-07
Packaged: 2017-12-10 15:58:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/787837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jongleur/pseuds/jongleur
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Another one of those where Harry is popular, Louis is not. Harry has a girlfriend and Louis is hopelessly in love with him, still, they’re best friends. What happens when Louis commits social suicide and dedicates a love song to Harry at their school’s talent show?</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Would

**Author's Note:**

> this is unbetaed and it's 2am so bear with me until i edit it, please. 8.5K of high school louis pining.  
> edit: ok, this baby is edited:) also, the parts in italics are dream sequences  
> part 3 of the take me home collection.
> 
> thanks to a lovely reader, there is now a russian translation! http://ficbook.net/readfic/2323907

“I’m _so_ crushing you, Styles!” Louis said as he sat on a cushion. Harry Styles, Louis’ best friend sat next to him, both of them holding X-box controllers.

“You’re cheating!” Harry gleefully laughed as he nudged Louis on the shoulder.

“What are you on about? You suck, I’m awesome. Deal with it.” And it was true, Harry had never been much good at videogames, ever.

Call of Duty? Harry sucked.

Mario Kart? Harry sucked.

Halo? Harry sucked, _big time_.

Louis smiled.

“Ok, ok. I’m done, I don’t want to play anymore.” Harry threw his controller to the other side of Louis’ room, falling on his bed.

Louis laughed, “Oh, is big bad Harry quitting? Does that mean I’m better than you, Hazza? Am I?”

“ _Shut up_ , Lou.”

“Alright, alright,” he put up his hands in mock surrender, “So, what do you want to do now?”

“I actually need to work on my calculus homework, I’m really, really behind.” Harry sighed.

“Calculus? With Mr. Ballwolm? Harry, I finished that _ages_ ago.”

“Ages ago, really? How long?”

“Like, two weeks ago.”

“Ouch, you suck Tomlinson. Actually…have I told you you’re like the most awesome person ever?”

“You have, you have,” Louis rolled his eyes as he grabbed his calculus notebook and tossed it to Harry, “Honestly, Harry, what would you do without me?”

“Probably wither and die.”

“Yeah, probably.” whispered Louis.

As Harry busied himself with his homework, or well, actually busied himself copying from his best friend, Louis grabbed his guitar and sat on his bed.

He mindlessly strummed a few chords as he watched Harry write in concentration. His tongue poked out a bit and Louis silently laughed as he played a funny, tuneless sound.

“You know, you never really taught me how to play that thing.” Harry added, not yet taking his eyes from his notebook.

“I did. And you suck. We can add that to the list Harry Styles sucks at.” laughed Louis, his eyes were now closed, but he also didn’t stop what he was doing.

“Louis, you really hate me don’t you?”

“Oh, Harry, I despise you.”

xxx

_“So, what do you want to watch, Louis?” Harry asked as he eyed the giant movie posters, one of his arms was around one of Louis’._

_“I get to choose? That’s new.”_

_“Of course you do! You’re stronger and taller and smarter than me! How could you not?”_

_Louis laughed loudly, a big booming, manly laugh, “Oh, Harry, I know.”_

_“So? What will you pick?”_

_“How about that new horror movie? The one where the blonde doesn’t actually die.”_

_“Oh, alright, Louis. But only if you hold me if I’m scared, you know how I’m such a scaredy cat and you’re not.”_

_“Of course, Harry. Of course.”_

_“Alright, let’s go in.”_

_The movie was actually good, and Louis thought Harry was enjoying himself. In the middle of the movie, however, he felt Harry’s hand grip him tightly. He looked to his side and found a trembling Harry._

_“Are you alright, Haz?”_

_“Um, yeah…”_

_“You’re not, c’mere.”_

_Louis put his arm around Harry as the curly haired boy nuzzled his face near his armpit. Louis petted his hair and comforted his boyfriend._

_“It’s alright, Haz.”_

_“Thank you, Lou. You’re the best boyfriend I could ever ask for. I love you.”_

_“Oh, I love you too Hazhead. I love you.”_

_“You know what? We should totally get married!”_

_“That’s such a good idea—”_

xxx

“Louis? Louis? You’re spacing out again, Lou.” Harry waved a hand in front of Louis.

 “S-sorry, sorry! I just…I was thinking about tomorrow’s Literature exam.” Louis blushed and Harry nodded, and _honestly_ , his friend was so absent minded, their Literature exam had been yesterday. Either way, he sweatdropped and thanked whichever higher entity was out there that he hadn’t been caught.

“Oh, ok. Well, I was saying that you should totally come to tomorrow’s party.”

“There’s a party tomorrow? Whose party?”

Harry rolled his eyes as if Louis should know, “ _Roy’s_ party! He invited us, said we should come.”

“No, no. He invited _you_ , he said _you_ should go. I don’t even talk to Roy.” Not really, not when Roy was one of the boys who push him on the hallways of school.

“What are you talking about? He invited me so that means you get to go as well, he won’t mind.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s not how it works Haz. I don’t really talk to that circle of people.”

“You’re my best friend, you’re invited.”

“No, I don’t want to go.”

“Why _not_?”

“Not my scene, besides, I think I’m calling Aiden to work on that science project that’s due next week.”

“But that’s due next week!” Harry protested.

“Exactly. I’m not leaving that assignment a day before it’s due.”

Harry at least had the decency to blush. “Wait, who’s Aiden?”

“ _What_? You don’t even know who _Aiden_ is?”

“Um, nope.”

“God, Harry, he was here last week with us! Aiden? Aiden Grimshaw?”

“A Grimshaw who is not Nick? Oh! The boy with the glasses and the AP courses?”

Louis sighed, “I guess so. I’ve been hanging out with him since freshman year and you still don’t know his name? He’s probably my best mate at the moment.”

“Hey!”

Louis laughed while Harry pouted and god, those damn dimples.

A tiny blonde head poked into their room.”Hey, Daisy, what’s up?” Louis asked one of his smallest sisters.

“Harry’s mum is here to pick him up.”

“Harry’s mum?” Louis asked confused, Anne hadn’t come pick up Harry from his house since middle school. He looked to his best friend, question in his eyes.

“Um, thanks Daisy, I’ll be down in a minute.” Harry blushed.

As soon as Daisy was out the room Louis asked, “Your mum?”

“Uh, yeah, it’s not my mum. Caroline came to pick me up.”

“Oh, Caroline.”

“It’s a bit embarrassing that she has a car and I don’t, she doesn’t mind, though.”

“ _That’s_ what you find embarrassing? Not the fact that my sister just confused your girlfriend with your mom?”

“Ugh, stop it Louis.”

“I’m just saying Harry. Still can’t believe it. Poor lanky Hazza got himself a woman. An _older_ woman.”

“Shut up.”

“Some would even say… _a cougar_.”

“Ok, I’m leaving. See you tomorrow.”

“Bye, Curly!” Louis waved as his friend made his way downstairs.

His smiled stayed big and tight. At least until he went back to his bedroom and locked it.

xxx

Thing was, Louis didn’t really, really like parties. At all.

High school parties were meant for popular kids. People who actually knew each other and were cool. People like Harry. But Louis wasn’t any of those. Louis would rather be at home, watching telly, or a movie, or playing maybe Gears of War. Maybe even petting his moody cat.

But thing was, Louis didn’t really, really like to say no to Harry. At all.

Not when Harry looked at him with big green eyes and a pout. Actually, however Harry looked at him.

So that was probably the reason Louis found himself at _Roy Clarence’s_ house, of all people, standing awkwardly next to a wall and sipping some Fanta because no, he didn’t really drink much that wasn’t beer and everything they had at the party looked suspicious .

This really sucked; he knew practically no one, and there weren’t really a lot of people to make small talk to because most of them were dancing around, already highly inebriated. And the people who weren’t just looked at him funny and walked away. They were _so_ rude.

Louis scoffed.  The thing that made him actually come to the party though, was that he knew Caroline was too old for these kinds of parties and wouldn’t be here.

Ok, yeah, high school parties were stupid and he wouldn’t be here at all if it weren’t for Harry, so he had to give her a point for that. At least she wasn’t _that_ tacky.

Anyway, he had come to the party in hopes to actually spend time with Harry, but the boy was nowhere to be seen. Louis frowned; he was probably surrounded by idiot jocks and hollow cheerleaders.

So there he was, standing alone with a red solo cup in hand and tapping his feet to the beat as he flinched whenever a drunk boy or girl came too close to him. This royally sucked.

“So, how’s the party?” Louis heard a soft masculine voice next to him. He turned around and saw a tall boy with brown eyes staring down at him. He looked vaguely familiar.

“Um, it sucks?” Louis said honestly because a) he didn’t know this boy and b) it was the honest truth and he was at a party where he was growing rapidly exasperated.

To his surprise the boy laughed. “It does, doesn’t it? I usually don’t come here often, but my mate Niall said we should try it for once.”

The boy seemed nice. “Oh, and where is he now? Is he having fun? Because mine probably is, left me in the dust, the bastard.”

The stranger laughed again, “He wasn’t, we were just about leave, but I lost him. It’s been like fifteen minutes already, I reckon he left already.”

“Nah, just wait for him. I’d offer you a ride, but, hey, I don’t have a car!”

“Welcome to the club! I’m Liam, by the way. Liam Payne.”

Liam. Nice name.

“Liam, I’m Louis. Do you go to our school? I mean, do you know Roy or something?”

“Um, no. I don’t really like him, but yeah, I go to the same school. I don’t usually come to parties though.”

“Me neither, they usually end up like this and not in a sordid threesome like in the movies. But, I haven’t seen you around school?” Louis said.

“Oh, I have. Seen you, I mean. In the hallway, in the library. Getting beat up by jocks.”

Louis winced, “Uh, yeah, pretty much my school life.”

Liam smiled softly. “Don’t worry, if you avoid them they’ll leave you alone. That’s what I did.”

“I don’t think that’ll work on me. I seem to always wave an _I like dick_ flag around all the time.”

“They’re Neanderthals, they suck.”

“That they do. I like you Liam Payne, you seem smart.”

“I’m not, but hey, you can keep calling me that.”

Louis laughed and yeah, maybe this party didn’t suck all that much because he made a _new friend_. He felt giddy.

“Liam!” a loud voice was heard above the already deafening music.

A small (smaller than Louis, yes!) blonde ran towards them, throwing himself onto Liam.

“Mate, where have you been?! You disappeared out of nowhere!” the bright blonde asked.

“You ran off! Anyway, Niall, this is Louis. Louis, this is my mate Niall.”

“Hello, Niall.” waved Louis.

“Hiiii, Louis!” Niall hugged Louis tightly. Was he drunk?

“And no, he is not dunk if that’s what you’re thinking, Louis. That’s Niall for you.”

“That’s Niall for you.” repeated Niall still hugging him.

“So, Liam, you ready to go?” the newcomer said as he faced Liam this time.

“More than ready. Wait, you need a ride, Louis? Or are you staying here?” Liam raised his eyebrows. He was such a puppy.

“Are you?” Niall pouted, and he, too, was a puppy.

Louis looked around to see if Harry was anywhere to be seen. He wasn’t.

Damn.

“No, let’s go.” He sighed, “Let’s go.”

xxx

“Louis and the puppies.”

“What? Did you say something, Louis?”

“Uh, no, no. I’m just tired s’all.”

“Oh. Do you want to me to drive you home? I was thinking maybe we could go to my house. My parents are in Ireland, so the house is empty.” Niall asked.

Louis wasn’t really tired and it was barely 11 pm, even his _mom_ would think going back at 11 from a party was lame.

“Sure.”

“Alright! This going to be good!” Niall laughed as he turned the music up loud enough for Liam and Louis to wince. Liam turned it down with a scowl.

“You’re not planning on getting me drunk and calling some hookers, are you?”

“Oh, I don’t drink. Only one kidney.” Liam explained.

“I do! I drink more than I breathe, probably. But we don’t have enough money for hookers, sorry.” Niall lamented.

Louis laughed, “That’s ok. So, what are we doing, then?”

What they were doing consisted of a couple of beers (for Louis and Niall, millions of diet cokes for Liam) and a guitar, much to Louis’ pleasure.

He had discovered that both Liam and Niall, were juniors at Hall Cross Academy, just like him, and that Niall loved playing the guitar, just like him, and Liam loved singing and composing, just like him. He really liked both of them.

“So you compose too? Sick, man!”

Louis laughed as he ran his finger though some chords. “Yeah, how come we hadn’t talked to each other before?”

“I don’t know, man. Aren’t you always with that Styles kid? Harry.”

“ _Not always_. He’s always hanging around with those douches from school. We just hang around after school, mostly.”

“How come you talk to him? I mean, don’t get me wrong, but he’s _popular_ and you’re…not. Neither of us. He’s sort of intimidating, dating a thirty year old and all that.”

“Intimidating? Harry? Nah, he’s like a mix of a kitten and a cupcake. And yeah, I know I’m not popular, but we’ve known each other since, like, six and we’ve stayed best friends since then."

“Wow, so cool. I bet Liam would drop me as soon as one of those blonde cheerleaders talked to him.” Niall pinched Liam on the stomach, “Ain’t that right, Leeyum?”

“No, I wouldn’t!”

“Oh, yeah, I forgot. Only if one of those muscular blonde football players talked to you, alright.”

“I don’t like blondes to be honest.”

“Ouch, that totally hurt me, Liam. Thank you.”

“You’re not even a natural blonde!”

“Liam! What is wrong with you? Exposing my darkest secrets like that!”

“Oh, that was supposed to be a secret?” Louis asked mocking Niall with wide eyes.

Liam laughed with him as Niall covered his hair with a pillow, “You guys are the absolute worst!”

After they calmed down, a couple of beers later, and after the realization that came like a bucket of cold water that Niall had actually said Liam liked boys, Louis found himself playing some tunes with Niall’s old guitar as the three of them sang along.

“Do you have any originals, Lou?” Niall asked as he played with Louis’ hair. Louis had a hunch that Niall wasn’t even near drunk.

“Um, I’ve been working on something, but it not nearly finished, just bits and pieces.” blushed Louis, and no, he was not singing any originals any time soon.

“Sing to us! Play it!” Liam yelled, and could _he_ be getting drunk just from the aroma of beer?

“Play it, play it, play it!” his new friends chorused.

Louis sighed and he seemed to be doing that a lot lately.

“Whatever…just don’t laugh…and never ever tell anyone about this. God, he was too drunk for this.

He started strumming a melody, then he sang while blushing. His song wasn’t near perfect, he still had to work on the rhythm and needed to change some lyrics, but he actually liked it. Besides, he knew Liam and Niall wouldn’t make fun of him.

He finished, his voice echoing through Niall’s room, then, applause.

“Lou, that was awesome!” grinned Niall as he jumped on his bed.

“That _was_ good, Louis,” Liam ruffled his hair, “Did someone inspire that song?”

No, Liam, you do not look good waggling your eyebrows.

“Did they?” Niall asked, now both boys leaning conspiratorially at him, both with huge grins and a glint in their eyes. “Tell us, Louis. We won’t tell anyone.”

And Louis was there, at 2 am in the house of a boy he didn’t know eight hours ago, just a tiny bit drunk, with a nice enough buzz running through his body, and two really great guys who seemed to not have a single mean bone in their bodies. He smiled.

“Yeah.”

“Who?”

“My best friend.”

“Oh.” Was all that Liam said.

Louis threw himself onto Niall’s bed and the blonde boy followed him, instantly nuzzling his head onto his side. Liam followed quickly, hugging Louis from his other side. And he really couldn’t believe these guys were real.

“I love you, Louis. Liam does too.”

“I do.” Agreed Liam.

“I think I do too.”

“ _You think_?”

“Ok, ok. I love you guys too.”

And soon, three boys fell asleep, all on top of each other.

And maybe Louis’ party didn’t end up in a sordid threesome like in the movies, except t it sort of did, in a way Louis didn’t expect and wouldn’t change it for a thing. It was a nice change. To be loved back and all.

xxx

 _There were only ten seconds left on the board. Everyone was screaming and cheering. They could do this,_ he _could do this._

_Lithe Louis had the ball, maneuvering around his rivals easily. His teammates were all blocked so it was up to Louis. He was sweating, it had been two hours of playing non-stop._

_They were 2-2, but Louis could make one more goal, he knew he could._

_Five seconds._

_Everyone on the stands was watching him carefully._

_“C’mon, you can do it, Lou,” whispered Harry as he clapped, never taking his eyes from his boyfriend. “I believe in you.”_

_Three seconds._

_They couldn’t lose, this was the final, they’d all worked hard all season, it was all for this._

_Two seconds._

_He got near the post, he had three players from the other team right behind him. He kicked the ball._

_One second._

_“GOAAAAL!”_

_He did it! Louis did it!_

_Everyone from Hall Cross cheered and jumped, hugging each other. They had finally won a football championship, all thanks to Louis. This was everything he’d hoped for._

_Louis’ teammates all huddled him in a tight circle and, much to his surprise, lift him up the ground chanting._

_“Louis, Louis, Louis!”_

_“I love you, Louis!”_

_“Would you sign my boob, Louis?!”_

_“Father my children, Louis!”_

_Louis laughed and yelled as he got a hold of the golden cup._

_“Excuse me, excuse me. Move bitch. That’s my man you’re all groping. Move!” Louis heard a familiar deep and sweet as honey voice coming from outside the circle._

_It was Harry, his boyfriend._

_“Louis!”_

_“Harry!” Louis was finally let down and he ran towards Harry who, just like him, had his arms wide open._

_Both boys ran towards each other while the rest of the team and other students watched with smiles on their faces and even some tears and sighs escaped from them._

_Liam and Niall were close, each smiling and with a hand over their heart._

_“Harry, I did it! I won us the cup!”_

_“You did, Louis. Oh, I’m so glad you’re my boyfriend!”_

_“I know, you should, Harry.”_

_“I love you, Louis.”_

_“I love you too”_

_“We should totally get married.”_

_“In Vegas?”_

_“You know me so well, babycakes.”_

_“I do, sweetcheeks.”_

xxx

“Mr. Tomlinson, are you calling me _sweetcheeks_?”

Louis was suddenly awaken from his daydream, a trail of saliva was dribbling from his chin, “What?”

“Detention, Mr.Tomlinson!” Mrs. Cavell, Louis’ English teacher glared.

“For what?!”

“Well, first of all, for falling asleep in my class. Second of all, for calling me sweetcheeks.”

The whole classroom laughed, and Louis wanted the earth to eat him. God, this was so embarrassing.

“This is so embarrassing.”

“It sure is. One hour of detention today after class.”

Louis grunted.

“Now, class, as I was saying, who can tell me the importance of the semi-colon? Anyone...?”

The rest of the lesson was slightly less embarrassing, and only slight so, because Louis’ teacher kept glaring at him, eliciting snickers from the rest of the class. When the bell rang signaling that lunch had started, Louis couldn’t get out of there quicker.

He trotted down the hallways, hoping no one would bother him that day, at least, when he heard someone call him.

“Hey, boo bear!”

Seriously? _Boo Bear_?!

Louis hastily turned around. “What do you want Harry?”

“Um, you’ve got something on your back. Here let me—”

Harry snaked his arm towards Louis’ back and if Louis felt a tingling from where his friend touched him, he certainly didn’t show it. Stupid Harry.

“What is it?”

“It’s a…it’s a paper, it’s says _Kick Me_.”

“Kick Me? Oh, my God, those idiots actually think they’re being clever, aren’t they?” he sighed rumpling the paper into a tiny ball, “Thanks, Harry.”

“You should tell them to stop playing rough.” Harry added as he walked with Louis towards the cafeteria.

And oh, my freaking, god. Harry actually thought he was _playing_ with those gorillas.

Louis shook his head in amazement.

“Anyway, I noticed you’re walking towards the cafeteria. Are you actually eating in there instead of studying in the library like every other day?”

“You’re saying it like it’s a bad thing.”

“Well, it is. How can you eat when there’s books surrounding you.”

“It’s actually comforting. But, to answer your question, yes, I’m actually eating in the cafeteria.”

“Oh, that’s great! Are you eating with me and the guys, then?”

_If by ‘guys’ you mean the smelly crowd of arrogant guys and bubblegum chewing girls then, no Harry. Not in the slightest._

“Actually, I’m sitting with Liam and Niall this time.” he instead said, opening the doors of the cafeteria, which was almost already full.

“Liam and Niall? Who are those?”

Louis sighed. Again. “Liam Payne and Niall Horan? I think they’re in some of your classes. Doesn’t ring a bell?”

“Uh, no, not really.”

“I think you really should start paying attention.”

“To who?”

“Us, the small people, Harry.”

Harry looked at him with a weird look on his face. Louis smiled softly.

“Anyway, I’m off to eat, I’m hungry. See you afterschool?”

“Y-yeah, of course…”

And Louis turned around, missing the look Harry was giving him as he walked away.

xxx

“So, are you up for tonight?” Harry asked, as they, once again, played videogames at Louis’ house. This time it was _Assassin’s Creed_. This time, he was also losing.

“Up for what?” said Louis as he munched on some chips.

“I told you on Monday! Caroline invited us to have dinner with her!”

Louis almost choked.

“She did? W-why?” Why would she do that, _old hag_.

“Oh, she knows you’re like my best friend and all that. Wanted to meet you properly and stuff. Nice, isn’t it?” Harry smiled.

“Sure. And I don’t know…did she invite anyone else?”

“Nope, just you.”

“How come?”

“I don’t think she actually likes my other friends.”

“What? What’s wrong with Roy Clarence, Billy Water, or God forbid, _Sally Black?”_ Louis rolled his eyes sarcastically.

“What, you don’t like them either?” questioned Harry.

“No, not really, Harry. If I’m honest, no.”

“Why not?”

“Not important. I’ll go with you tonight. Caroline seems nice _.” Or at least she’s got some good judge of character._

“Sweet! Thanks, Louis. I’ll call to let her know.” Harry cheered and kissed Louis’ cheek, and it was all so very, very good.

Louis lamented to himself.

xxx

“So, _Louis_ , Harry tells me you’re good at academics. Unlike him, it seems.” Caroline said as she poured more wine onto Louis’ glass.

Louis wanted to hit himself (and Harry, if he was honest) with a book. A hardcover book. Thing was, Caroline was so nice. And, if Louis were to actually be into boobs and vaginas and all that horrible stuff, he would’ve totally been into Caroline. And if he liked thirty year olds.

And she cooked deliciously, something Louis couldn’t for the life of him do. It seemed such a waste of Harry’s talent for cooking; both of them knew how to cook, see? That didn’t work well. That’s _why_ he and Harry were the prefect couple: Harry cooked, Louis ate. Perfect.

“Uh, I guess so? To be fair, Harry does suck, I only get my homework done when it’s due.”

Caroline laughed and Harry pouted.

“Hey, it’s not my fault they throw parties every second day.” Harry complained as he ate a piece of lasagna.

 “They don’t _force_ you to go, Harry.” Caroline rolled her eyes, “Ugh, at least his best friend is decent. I would say you’re a good influence on him, but I think Harry is an impenetrable force.”

“He is.” laughed Louis, and damn it, she was also funny.

“I think you’re also good, Caroline.” He wasn’t lying. “I think it’s good you and Harry love each other.” And, ok, he lied just about there.

Caroline cleared her throat and smiled, “I think I’ll go wash the plates, excuse me. I’ll be right back.”

As soon as she left Louis looked at Harry confused, “Did I say something? Because I think I felt awkwardness.”

Harry scratched his neck and looked at the ground, “Um, no, it’s just…we don’t really say we love each other. I mean, I think I do, but she says it’s too soon. So, we don’t really…”

“Oh, okay.”

Yes, okay. More than ok, actually.

Louis inwardly chuckled. 

When Caroline came back, all three of them moved to her living room where they tried to play a game of charades, but it really became a game of Louis or Harry moving weirdly and the other yelling out a random word. Louis took pity on clueless Caroline, and they soon stopped and just started talking about a thing all three of them knew well: Sex and the City.

And it was very gay, but Louis didn’t comment on it.

As they kept on talking about Carrie and Mr.Big, Louis kept on drinking wine. Lots, and lots of wine.

“Ok, girls, I actually need to go pee. Wait for me.” Harry said.

And at this point Louis was drunk enough to giggle and stare dreamily at Harry. Caroline may, or may have not noticed.

Harry left and it was suddenly just Louis and Caroline, and some other time Louis would’ve glared at her, but right now he was just drunk and—

“Oh, my, god, is that a _tattoo_?”

Caroline laughed as she touched her small tattoo that was inked on her ankle, “ It is. It’s just a small _L_ though. It’s for my father, I got it when he died.”

“Wow, you’re so poetic and symbolic and shit. You got any more?”

“You’re drunk! You’re drunk on wine!” Caroline clapped and then sobered, “Yeah, I’ve got another one, it’s a quote. From Neutral Milk Hotel.”

“That’s _so_ hipster. No wonder Harry likes you, you listen to that noise and you’ve got tattoos.”

“I think I should be offended, but surprisingly I’m not. Thank you, Louis.”

“For what?”

“For being with Harry. He needs people like you on his life, not that crap he hangs around all the time.”

“Thanks. But…I couldn’t stay away from him even if I tried.”

Caroline looked at him intensely, Louis felt weird.

“You’re looking at my soul. I don’t like it.”

She chuckled, “I think I am.”

“I’m drunk.”

“You are.”

“Can I go outside to get some fresh air?”

“Go ahead.”

Louis stood up and headed for the door.

xxx

Louis only meant to go outside and breathe some fresh air, he did.

But the breeze of cold air at midnight seemed so intoxicating and liberating Louis had decided to walk a few streets. Just a few. _Just a few more, I’ll go back, I know my way._

Except he had strayed too far and Louis found himself lost. Not that he cared much, not really. As much as he had liked Caroline (because goodness sake, he had actually like his crush’s thirty one year old girlfriend and what the fuck, only Harry could manage that), she was still dating Harry, and in Louis’ eyes that meant complete dislike on principle. _Maybe when they break up._

And it wasn’t that Louis had this blinding love for Harry, it was just that he knew, even though he was all fucked up and a nerd and so not cool, that he was perfect for Harry. He was the one who loved everything about Harry. He was the one who would tell Harry ‘I love you’. Oh.

Oh.

Damn, those were good lyrics for his song.

Louis quickly wrote them on his phone. As he walked without watching, Louis found himself just in front of a shop. Actually, a tattoo parlor.

He stood there, watching the inside with curious eyes and mouth just a bit open. The gears of his brain started functioning and _hell, yeah_.

And who even has a tattoo parlor open past midnight? Maybe for drunk losers. Ok, no.

Maybe it was his true love for Harry that drove him to do it, but it was probably more the alcohol talking. Besides _Caroline_ and _Harry_ had tattoos, why couldn’t he? _And_ he had more than enough money with him; he actually saved his money like a good boy and didn’t spend it on crap like Harry did.

Louis deserved this, he did. He was _so_ going to do because he was Louis Tomlinson and he was a _badass._

“I want a tattoo!” Louis opened the door loudly and in a whim. He was a badass.

The only one in the parlor was a brusque man with a black beard and lots of tattoos. Typical.

“You’re drunk.”

“No. Maybe. But I’m a badass. I want one tattoo, please.”

The bearded man shook his head, “As long as you’ve got the money I don’t care kid. Do you got the money?”

Louis grinned a mega watt smile, “I do! Now, tattoo me, good sir.” and then added, "Because I'm a badass."

The man sighed, he was too used to kids like these.

As Louis sat on a cushioned chair and the man prepared the needles and ink, he asked, “So what are you gonna want?”

“Um. I don’t know.”

Twenty minutes later and a whole lot of crying, Louis had a small stick man riding a skateboard on the inside of his forearm.

“This is so cool!”

“Pay up, kid.”

Louis payed. “I want another one. Caroline has two. I’m cooler than Caroline.”

A sigh.

Another twenty minutes later and a whole lot more crying, Louis had small quotation marks on his left wrist.

“I’m _so_ badass! How about a third one?”

“No.”

“What? I still have money! C’mon, it’ll be the last one, I promise.” And how did it get to this, where Louis was promising stuff to old, strange men in the middle of the night.

“Just one more, and I don’t want any parents here complaining to me, alright? And no more crying.”

And exactly forty minutes later and a hell lot more crying, Louis had the outline of a heart with headphones on, right on top of his external arm. It was nice.

“This is nice. Now I’ve got three tattoos! I’m so much better than Caroline, aren’t I Bryan?”

“Yes, Louis, you are.”

“Ok, I’ll go now. Leave you to it.”

“I think you promised me your first born child while you were crying and begging me to stop.”

“I did, didn’t I? Oh, well. I’ll bring that curly haired bastard with blue eyes when he’s born.”

“He?”

“Yes, he, Bryan, _he_. Bye!”

“Bye, Louis.”

And Louis left the tattoo shop with three new tattoos. He didn’t know it yet, but those were the first three tattoos of many to come.

xxx

 _Louis started singing his latest hit in front of thousands—no, millions, of people. It was exhilarating. After many, many hard work he was a finally a superstar. Louis Tomlinson, star of the moment. Everyone wanted him, he was famous and_ wanted  _and so, so gorgeous. Oh, and talented too. Everyone knew his name. He had finally made it big. And he supposes Niall, his guitarist, and Liam, his backing vocals, had too._

_He finished his song as the crowd cheered. He said his goodbye to his adoring fans and then promptly left the stage, where he knew Harry, his boyfriend, would be waiting for him._

_Harry smiled at him and both of them, hand in hand, walked towards his dressing room._

_“Louis, you’re really hot.” Harry said as walked towards Louis, a seducing glint on his face._

_“I know Harry. I suppose you are too.”_

_“Yes, we’re both hot. That’s why I think we should have sex.”_

_“What?_ Harry _? Always with indecent proposals, you.”_

_“Are you declining then?”_

_“No, of course not. Come here.”_

_“I will, my beautiful boyfriend with amazing abs.”_

_And Louis and Harry had sex until the sunrise and Harry was satisfied because Louis was amazing. That was that._

_“That was so much better than with Caroline, wasn’t it?”_

_“Oh, Louis, of course, how could it not be?”_

_“We should get married, Lou.”_

_“We should, shouldn’t we?”_

_“Yeah, especially when you ride me so well like—”_

xxx

“Louis!” a giggle woke Louis up. A small body threw himself on top of him. More giggles.

Daisy and Phoebe, the twins.

“Louis, you were making weird noises while you were asleep. Are you ok? You were dying! We saved you!” Phoebe laughed as she hugged her big brother.

Louis turned deep red and coughed.

“Yeah, yeah, you saved me, thank you. Now, don’t mention it to _anyone_ , alright?”

“Yes.” both twins chorus and Louis sent them off with a kiss on the forehead to each.

He still had to get ready to go to school, and he was still so sleepy and his arm hurt. Why did his arm hurt?

Oh.

Well, damn.

Louis got dressed quickly and checked himself in the mirror. Well, at least he looked hot. _Hotter_ , mind you.

Louis put on a red sweater, at least that would keep his mum from seeing it for a few days. At least for today.

His school day went almost uneventful; a couple of shoves here and there, lunch with Niall and Liam whom he still found fascinating, and he _did_ end up having to explain to Harry why he left so abruptly. ( _I felt sick. Maybe it was Caroline’s food. I think it was that. Sorry.)_ , and what was probably the most exciting thing about his day was when Niall mentioned the school’s talent show.

“Hey, Lou, have you seen the flyers?”

“The flyers of what?”

“The school’s talent show, you dummy, what else?”

“Oh, well, no. Why are you telling me this?”

“I think you should participate.”

“Are you crazy, Niall?!” Louis yelled, almost dropping his chocolate jello.

“He actually is, but he has a point Louis.” Liam added from his other side.

“A point?! Guys, people here make fun of me just because I sharpen my pencil, do you really expect me to _sing_ in front of them?”

Niall looks at him sadly. Liam does too, and Louis hates them.

Liam tries again. “Look, Lou, you should just ignore them, they’re nothing. We know we’re much better than them, we know it. You won’t sing for them, you’ll sing for us, for Harry, for you.”

“That sounds nice and dandy, Li, but you know they don’t stop at words and insults. They push and shove and punch. I don’t think I can deal with that.”

“You won’t have to do it alone. Niall and I’ll be there. You just got so much talent. That song you sang to us the night we met? Fucking good.”

“Liam swore, he swore!” Niall stood up abruptly and pointed at Liam who simply chuckled. “Listen to him, Lou, he swore, that means it’s true.”

Louis laughed. “Alright, here’s the deal. If you guys help me finish with the music and the lyrics and it’s perfect before the talent show…which is…?”

“On Friday.”

“On Friday?! That’s so soon!…if you guys help me get the song to perfection by Friday then I’ll do it.”

“Yes!”

“That’s my Louis!”

“—but _only_ if Niall goes onstage with me and helps me with guitar, and Liam helps with backing vocals.”

“What? That’s cheating!” sputtered Niall.

“No it isn’t, Niall, shut up. Deal or not?”

“Deal.” smiled Liam, and he and Louis shook hands.

That afternoon, when all three of them went back to Louis’ house, and, after a lot explaining about his three tattoos, Louis, Liam, and Niall got to work.

While Louis and Niall worked on some chords and harmonies on their guitars, Liam worked on some melodies and some lyrics that still needed a bit polishing. The song was about pure unrequited love, and, after Liam confessed he had an impossible crush of his own, him and Louis got a much better understanding of the feelings they wanted to express and project on the song.

They worked hard and even Lottie and Fizzy helped them giving them their honest opinion, which was actually just _oh, I love it_ and _I need it on my ipod!_

Louis really did like it. And now it wasn’t just his song, but Liam’s and Niall’s too, and for some reason that felt better.

They boy left around six, but Louis continued writing a bit more, finally finishing it around seven. Incidentally, that was the time the doorbell rang and Harry unexpectedly arrived.

“Oh, hi, Harry. Come in.” Louis said as he busied himself putting his guitar away.

“Hey, Lou. Whatcha doing?”

“I was just playing some stuff, you know, the usual.”

“The usual.” hummed Harry as he perched himself on a cushion.

“Want to play some _Battlefield_?”

“Um, no, actually, I wanted to talk about your tattoos.”

Louis choked on air.

“My tattoos? What about them?”

“ _What about them?!_ When did you get them? Why? How?” Harry jumped excitedly around Louis like a puppy and honestly, when did Louis only had puppies as friends?

Louis lied and told Harry he had gotten them last Saturday and he said that he hadn’t mentioned them because Harry seemed to have seen them already. He felt a bit hurt, because Harry actually believed it, and did he really not pay attention to him that much?

After Louis told him his experience with Bryan and how he owned the man his (their) first born child the tattoo conversation was over, and they started talking about other stuff, mainly about music and school, and Louis was again happy.

Until that moment when Harry mentioned another party.

“Are you coming to Sally’s party this Friday, Lou?” Harry had asked.

Louis felt himself get hotter. “Are you _serious_ , Harry?”

“Serious? Yes? What are you on about?”

“Harry, I don’t _like_ parties! Or maybe I do, I don’t know, but not parties with those kind of people!”

“What kinds of people, Louis?” Harry glared defensively.

And, fuck, was Harry clueless.  But Louis had had enough.

“The kinds of people who shove me onto the lockers and leave me bruises, Harry. The kinds of people who whisper behind my back _and_ on my face. The ones who put stupid sings on my back. The ones who yell at me ‘fag’ _every single day_. Those kinds of people.”

Harry opened his mouth but said nothing, staring wide eyed at Louis.

“And I’m sick of them, Haz. I’m sick of you hanging out with them and not seeing how they really are. You can do so much better, you’re a good person, they’re not. I’m sorry if I’m such a loser and you’re actually part of the cool crowd, I’m sorry that you’re stuck with me, but you have to see they’re not good.”

“Louis—”

“I’m not going to make you choose between me and them, Harry. I’ll make it easy for you. We weren’t meant to be friends.” And it’s all a lie, such a lie, because Louis had never met anyone so perfect for him as Harry, but he’s not going to make him stay.

“Lou—”

“Just...leave Harry. Please.” he added softly.

Harry stayed where he was for a few minutes, not moving, not speaking, and Louis thought he was probably not breathing. Then he left.

He left and that’s when Louis started crying.

xxx

The next day, which was a Thursday, the day before the talent show, Louis avoided Harry like a plague. He managed to actually just see him three times, all of them which he was sure Harry didn’t see him.

He even avoided him during lunch time because he, Niall, and Liam went to the music room and practiced their song.

Louis had never felt more alone and devastated, he could really recall a time where he was without Harry and that’s what hurt the most. Harry had become such a big part of his life and had just left like nothing.

He walked to his house. No, he still didn’t own a car.

And his life became such a cliché movie because just in that moments, it started raining. Well, he had always been one for drama, so he didn’t really complain.

As soon as he got home, he grabbed a jar of nutella and locked himself in his room, deciding he was never ever going to come out.

He worked the first few hours on his homework, but he finished easily and quickly, a shame, really.

He tried to busy himself with reading his history encyclopedia, but that only worked for about twenty minutes until he grew restless. He then grabbed his familiar guitar and started playing nonsense melodies.

As he played an exceptionally sad tune and he stared out from his window at the raining street, he noticed a red pickup truck making its way to his house. He didn’t know anyone with a red pickup truck.

He watched curiously and intently. The rain made it hard to see who got out of the truck but it seemed to be a short, slight male around his age.

The doorbell rang and Louis really hoped the person wasn’t there to see _him._ He didn’t want to be bothered, he wanted to be depressed alone forever and ever. Maybe he’d only let his cat in.

He stayed curled up in a ball next to his closet. There was a knock at his door. And, god, why would his mother let anyone up to his room like that? What if it was a serial killer?

Louis sighed, it was ok, a serial killer would be good right about now. “Come in.”

Leather boots could be seen from where Louis was curled up on the floor. Leather boots? He raised his head to see who the fuck knew Louis and wore leather boots.

He gasped.

There was so much beauty. And so much leather.

That could only mean one thing.

Zayn Malik.

“Zayn Malik?” Louis whispered, wide eyed.

“Hi, Louis.” Zayn waved.

What could Zayn, an almost god-like creature, be doing here, with a mortal like Louis?

And oh, did he say that out loud?

Zayn laughed, “You did. Don’t worry, I won’t mention it.”

"Shit…but, what _are_ you doing here?”

Zayn sighed and scratched his neck as he sat on Louis’ bed. “Look, Louis, I know those shitheads that call themselves Harry’s ‘friends’ don’t really give a shit. But I do, trust me. I noticed he was down today, barely even uttered a word, so I asked what was wrong and he told me, told me about your fight.”

“And you have point, Louis. Those assholes are shit, they _treat_ everyone who isn’t like them like shit. _I_ don’t like them, the only reason I still hang around with them is because they don’t— _won’t_ go away. I hate them, and the only who I actually consider a friend is Harry, he isn’t shallow like the rest. That’s why I care about him. He won’t _talk_ , Louis, he won’t. I’m trying to fix this. Can I?”

Louis’ mouth was dry, because he still couldn’t believe Zayn was there and saying those words. Never in a million yeard did he think he’d be having that conversation with him.

“Yeah…”

“I know why you guys fought…or, well, I think I know one of the reasons at least. You like him Louis—”

“What? No, no I could never—”

Zayn chuckled, “Shh, I know it because I do the exact same things you do.”

“You have a crush?”

“On a boy.” Zayn nodded.

And _what_.

Louis almost couldn’t breathe. He sure as hell wasn’t expecting that.

“Why are you saying this, Zayn? What do you want me to tell him?”

“I just want you to talk to him. Maybe tell him how you feel?”

“Tell him how I _feel_? That’ll just ruin our friendship.”

“If you don’t do anything it’ll stay like this either way.”

“B-but he won’t feel the same way. He has a girlfriend!”

“They broke up.”

“What? _When_?”

“Yesterday after school, I was there.”

“Ouch, but, that was just before he came to talk to me.”

“Bit embarrassing if you ask me. Anyway, Louis, Harry might reciprocate your feelings, never say never?”

“How do you know?”

“He _never_ stops talking about you. It’s tiring.”

Louis laughs, “He does? Oh, my god, that’s so lame.”

“It is, but…you love him?”

“I…I do.”

“So, even if he didn't actually like you that way, I don't think it should affect your friendship with him.”

“Thanks, Zayn. For caring for Harry…and for this really unexpected talk. Thanks.”

“Not a problem.” Zayn smiled, "By the way your sister may have just asked me to date her. She seemed impressed. Maybe it runs in the family?" he smirked.

"Ugh, _Lottie_."

xxx

“I’m nervous. Guys. I’m nervous, I don’t want to do it anymore. Kill me, kill me now!”

“Hey, Louis, Louis, calm down! It’s fine. We’ll go up there with you.”

“No.”

“ _Louis.”_

“Ugh, fine, just let me breathe.”

And Louis breathed in and out, in and out, and continued to do so while the other acts performed.

Most of them were musical acts, as expected, one of them was a mediocre magician ( _hey, at least we won’t be the worst act!_ ), and another one was a comedian who wasn’t half as bad.

Everything seemed nice actually, the other acts weren't really good. They seemed to consist mostly of rock covers and some ballads. Yes, everything was good. Until they actually got to perform that was.

Louis wanted to faint in that moment, wanted to die. But he couldn’t  and he wouldn’t  because Niall and Liam were there with him. He swore if they hadn’t, he would’ve bailed at the first time he had gotten.

As he walked up the stage he could feel whispers and stares because _hey, that’s Tomlinson, he’s a nerd what does he think he’s doing?_

Louis started sweating and no, this was definitely not like in his dreams. This sucked.

He went up to the microphone, looked back to see if Niall and Liam were ready. They were and Niall gave him a thumbs up. Fuck.

He gulped, “Uh, hi.”

Silence.

“We’re _Louis and the Dogs_ and this is an original song we’ll be singing to you guys.”

And that was supposed to be it. He was supposed to give Niall the signal for him to start, but he couldn’t. Because he saw Harry, all the way up the bleachers of the gym, smiling at him brightly. An wasn't he supposed to be mad at Louis? Why was he looking at him like a proud mother, clapping when he even hadn't play a thing. Because he was Harry, and that’s what Harry Styleses do, charm their way into your life, even when they’re barely six years old, and never leave.

And he’s love with him so fuck it.

“Uh, I also want to dedicate this song to someone. Um, my best friend…Harry, I wrote this song for you. Please, listen.”

And then the dam broke and he signaled to Niall to begin, and the strums echo through the room and he starts singing.

_And up in my head, we were kissing, I thought things were going alright, with a sign on my back saying kick me, reality ruined my life._

_It feels like I’m constantly playing, a game that I’m destined to lose, cause I can’t compete with your boyfriend, he’s got 27 tattoos._

_Would he say he’s in l-o-v-e, well if it was me, then I would._

_Would he hold you when you’re feeling low, baby you should know, that I would._

The song ended and there was silence in the room and Louis wanted to cry, not sure if from happiness or embarrassment but he didn’t really care, because just sang his heart out.

The applause came out of nowhere, and really, really loud. There might’ve been some whistling too.

There also seemed to some booing, up where Harry was sitting. He hears a distinctly call of ‘faggot’ by none other than Roy. He looked up to see Harry’s reaction, and Louis almost laughed because at that exact moment Harry punched Roy right in the nose.

He wanted to see what else would happen, but he never could because Harry came running down the bleachers, making his way blissfully towards Louis.

When he got there, nobody was really paying attention to them anymore, more entertained watching something else, Louis looked up to see quickly, and all he saw was a fast blur of black hair punching the guts out of Roy. 

"Zayn." Louis laughed tom himself.

And then there was, Harry kissing him on the mouth. Louis almost fainted, and he wasn’t being dramatic. Harry was _kissing_ him.

“Louis, that was…the best. _You’re_ the best.”

Louis laughed because, no, this wasn’t one of his dreams, this was real.

“Harry, I hope you know that you're the most important person in my life. Even if you're a bit clueless sometimes.”

“I know, but would it help to say I wasn't that clueless? Lou, you're the most amazing person ever, and I think the sun and stars about you...you're not small, Louis, you're the biggest person I know. Fuck those assholes."

Louis laughed and this time it him who kissed Harry, "I love you Hazza."

"I love you too and was it not fucking obvious?"

And fuck, shit, cunt, bitch, this was really happening.

“This is real, isn’t it?”

“No, this is all a dream, Louis. You’re about to wake up.”

“Shut up, Harry.”

Harry did, but only because he really wanted to kiss Louis.

xxx

They started their senior year with brand new tattoos; Louis got a huge compass on his forearm while Harry got an even bigger tattoo of a ship. They were couple tattoos, and Harry giggled every time he saw them and well, shit, he’s in love with a five year old.

It would be a lie to say everything ended like a fairy tale because it sure as hell didn’t.

For Harry and Louis, it did. Sort of. Because, hello, they were finally dating.

But the bullying got worse, now Harry was on the other side of the boat and for Louis, it just got worse.

But for some reason he didn’t really care. Not really, because now Harry sat with him every day during lunch, now he knew Liam’s and Niall’s (and Aiden’s) name.

Even Zayn, who after the talent show incident also got bullied.

First, because he hanged around with the losers and the faggots and the nerds. And then, because he was apparently, a fag. Thing was, Zayn’s crush was actually Liam Payne, a fact Louis found delightful. And, with just a bit of help from Louis and Harry, Zayn and Liam started dating just before school started.

(Also, now Louis actually loved Caroline. He went almost every week to visit her, and they talked all afternoon over One Tree Hill, Sex and the City as they braided Harry's hair. Ok, no, they didn't really braided Harry's hair, but only because he refused. And it seemed, Caroline knew from the very beggining how Louis was so smitten with Harry.)

And up until now, Liam, Zayn, Niall, Louis and Harry still sit in that cafeteria table near the corner. And really, they don’t really care being called names. They don’t, it’s all good.

Sometimes Niall even says,

“You know, mates, this is really cool. You guys get to kiss each other and stuff, and I get to have all the ladies. Isn’t it cool?”

Louis laughs as he hugs Harry, “Yeah, Niall, _it is_ cool.”

~

the end.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> im sorry, this was cute in my head.


End file.
